Benjamin edwards



(Model.)

B. EDWARDS.- LOCK.

No. 445,501. Patented Jan. 2'7, 18 91.

INVENTOR:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN EDXVARDS, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,501, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed August 5,1890. Serial No. 361,097. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN EDWARDS, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in looks, especially applicable to what are known as mortise-locks, and has for its object to provide a simple, compact, and durable lock capable of manipulation by a key of a certain shape only, and which may be applied by an unskilled person at but a trifling expenditure of time and labor, and which may be con structed to provide for a variety of keys, so that the key of one look will not fit another look differing therefrom in the slightest degree in any of its operative parts.

A further object of the invention is to construct a lock to which a key cannot be fitted unless the mechanism is exposed, thus preventing the look from being skeletoned or picked.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference isto be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lock, a portion of the casing being removed to show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on lines 2 2 of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the bolt being illustrated as shot outward. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4- 4; of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 3, the bolt, the trip-lever, and the tie-plate being re moved to expose the tumblers. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the trip-lever. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the tie-plate. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the tumblers, and Fig. 9 is a similar view of the bolt.

The casing 10 is circular in cross-section, and provided at one end with a face-plate 11, in which plate a suitable bolt-openingis produced. The casing is made preferably in two parts, comprising a body-section, as shown,

and a plate-section adapted to cover the opening 12 in the body-section and illustrated in At the rear end of the casing, in diametrically-opposite sides, key-holes 15 are produced, and upon the side wall of the casing opposite the opening 12 tumblers A are held to slide one upon the other, two tumblers being illus trated; but a greater number may be employed, if in practice it is found desirable. The tumblers are limited in their lateral movement by a shoulder 16, formed upon the casing, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The tumblers are practically alike in general contour, and one of them is illustrated in Fig. 8, in which it will be observed that the tumbler consists of a flat strip of metal having a recess 17 formed in the upper edge at one end, and in the base-wall of the recess a smaller recess 18 is produced. The lower edge of the tumbler is provided with a large recess 19, the upper wall of which recess, near the end carrying the recess 18, is so shaped as to form steps 20 and 21, the step 20 being lower than the step 2].,and at the opposite end of the tumbler the upper wall of the recess 19 is preferably straight and the end wall perpendicular; but where the straight upper wall and perpendicular wall meet the surface is curved, as illustrated at a in the said Fig. 8.

In the step 21, preferably at or near the central portion thereof, a recess 22 is produced. The recessed end of the lower tumbler is preferably of greater length than the corresponding end of the upper tumbler, so that when the walls of the lower recesses of the tumblers register or are in alignment their end recesses 18 will be out of alignment or only partially in registry, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The tumblers are placed in the casing in such manner that the key-hole will be near the perpendicular wall of their recesses 19, and the tumblers'are normally held in this position by engagement at one end with the stop-lug 16, against which they are normally kept in contact by springs 23, having a bearing against the outer ends of the tumblers and the outer wall of the casing, as best shown in Fig. The space in which the springs 23 are located is covered by a plate 2i, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

In connection with the tumblers, angleplates 26 are employed, which serve to guide and to impart movement to said tumblers when the key is turned in a certain direction, and the number of guide-plates 26 corresponds to the n umber of tumblers. The guideplates are located in the casing, lying one against the other, and their horizontal members are capable of sliding in the recesses 10 of the tumblers beneath the steps 20.' The vertical members of the guide-plates extend upward, essentially, to a contact with the straight wall of the said recess 10, contiguous to the curved surface a, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The outer ends of the vertical members of the guide-plates are somewhat curved, and the said curved edges are located normally near the, side of the key-hole 15 opposite that at whichthe rear inner edge of the tumblers is located.

Each. guide-plate 26 has a recess 27 produced in the upper edge of its horizontal member, and in the space intervening the said horizontal member and the opposed recessed surface ofthe tumblers toothed disks 2,8 are loosely pivoted upon a stud 29, which disks are prefe ably provided with two teeth only, one adapted to enter the recess 22 of a tumbler and the other the recess 27 of the opposing guide-plate. The number of pinions corresponds to the number of tumblers.

In order that the tumblers and guide-plates and-likewise the toothed disks may be held properly in place, a tie-plate 30 is placed immediately over the latter, which tie-plate is angular'or L-shaped in cross-section, the vertical member being of sufficient width to extend from top to bottom of the casing, and thewidth of the horizontal member is sufficient to enable it to extend outward flush with the lower edge of the casing-opening 12, as best shown in Figs. 1 and The vertical member of the tie-plate is provided with an aperture 31, through which the stud 29 extends, and also with lugs 32, adapted to enter suitable recesses in the upper wall of the casing, and a partition is formed upon the under face of the horizontal member of the tie-plate which enters a recess 34: in the said lower edge of the casing-opening 12. The horizontal member of the tie-plate has also attached to it one extremity of a spring 35, which spring is upwardly inclined in the direction of the face-plate of the casing.

The bolt B consists of a head 36, adapted to extend through the opening in the face plate made to receive it, and a shank or stem 37, which shank or stem lies longitudinally in the casing, its upper edge in engagement with the upper surface of the casing. A stopshoulder 38 is formed in the upper edge of the bolt at its head, which limits the outward preferably rectangular, or essentially so, and a partition 41 between them has its lower edge beveled from the sides in direction of the center, as is best shown in Fig. 9. A third recess 42 is produced in the lower edge of the bolt near its rear or inner end, the latter recess being, preferably, of essentially U shape, and this recess 42 is adapted to normally lie above and adjacent to the key-hole 15.

A trip-lever D is employed in connection with the bolt 13, which lever is of greatest thickness at its center, and so constructed that the inner-rsurface of one end of the lever is in a plane with the outer surface of the opposite end. In fact, the lever virtually consists of two members (1 and d, placed one upon the other and united. The pivotal point of the lever is at its center or at the union of its members, and the lever is fulcrumed upon the stud 29. The member d, which is the rear member, is curved upward, so as to extend over the outer face of the bolt-shank, and is more or less hook-shaped at its rear extremity, its under surface being concaved, as illustrated at (Z The forward member is adapted for engagement at its under face with the spring 35 of the tie-plate, and the forward extremity of this member has an upwardlyextending lip (1 formed integral therewith, adapted to enter. the recesses 39 or 40 of the bolt, as occasion may require. extremity of the inner member (Z of the said trip-lever a lug 43'is formed, which extends horizontally from the inner face of said member, and the said lug is of suitable shape in cross-section to enter the recesses 18 of the tumblers when the said recesses are brought in registry by the manipulation of a suitable key.

In the operation of the bolt of a lock constructed as described, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, a proper key is entered into the key-hole, and as the key is turned one ward of the key will bear against the rear inner edge of the bottom tumbler and another ward against the corresponding edge of the upper tumbler. The rearward movement of the tumbler by the key is such as to just cause the recesses 18 to register. The tumblers are held in this position while the key is further turned and until another ward of the key engages with the under concaved surface (Z of the tripdcver D, which engagement forces the inner end of the lever upward and the forward or lower end downward, thus releasing the lip d from the recess 39 of the bolt, freeing the latter and causing the lug 43 of the lever to-enter the tumbler-recesses 18. The lever is held in this position against the tension of the spring 35 until another ward of the key enters the bolt-recess 42, and by so doing forces the bolt outward to its locked position. Before the bolt is quite shot the ward releases the lever, and the spring forces its lip upward against the inclined surface of the partition 41, separating the boltrecesses 30 and 40, as shown. in Fig. 2, and

At the lippedv IIO when the bolt is thrown outward the proper distance the lip of the lever enters the boltrecess 40 and prevents the bolt from being forced backward into the casing. As soon as the trip-lever leaves the tumblers the springs of the latter force them back to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 5, and in turning the key to withdraw it the wards engage with the guide-plates 26 and force the said plates forward, and in so doing the toothed disks 28 cause the tumblers to move inward. As soon as the key leaves the guide-plates the springs of the tumblers act upon the guideplates through the medium of the toothed disks and restore both the tumblers and plates to their original and normal position.

To carry the bolt backward in the casing, the key is turned so that the wards will engage with the guide-plates 26 and press the said plates back, which will also cause the tumbler-recesses 18 to register, and the triplever is elevated at its inner end, as before described, and the bolt drawn inward,thelip of the lever entering the outer recess 39 of the bolt, as shown in Fig. 1, and when this action takes place the tumblers are released and their recesses 18 are out of registry.

It is evident that any desired number of tumblers and guide-plates maybe employed, and that the action of the tumblers is positive. Further, that the wards of a key may be changed by altering the contour of the tumblers even to the slightest extent.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a lock, the combination, with a bolt, of sliding tumblers provided with recesses in one edge adapted to register, and a trip-lever adapted for engagement with the bolt and the tumblers, substantially as shown and de scribed.

2. In a lock, the combination, with a bolt, of sliding spring-pressed tumblers provided with recesses in one of their edges adapted to register, and a spring-pressed trip-lever capable of being operated upon by a key and adapted for engagement with the tumblers and the bolt, as shown and described.

3. In a lock, the combination, with a bolt provided with two recesses near its head and a recess near its inner end, and spring-pressed tumblers held to slide near the bolt, provided with recesses in one edge adapted to register, of a spring-pressed lever, one end of which is carried over the inner recess of the bolt, the other end being provided with a lip to enter the forward bolt-recesses and a stud to enter the recesses of the tumblers when said recesses register, as and for the purpose specified.

guide-plates and tumblers, and a springpressed trip-lever adapted for engagement.

with the bolt and the sliding tumblers, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a lock, the combination, with a casing provided with a key-hole therein, of springpressed tumblers held to slide in the casing, provided with recesses in their upper edges near one end adapted to register, and also provided with recesses in their'lower edges, the rear walls of which recesses are located at one side of the key-hole, angle guide-plates held to slide in the lower recessed portion of the tumblers, the rear ends of which plates are located at one side of the key-hole opposite the rear end of the tumblers, toothed disks engaging the guide-plates and tumblers, a lock-bolt, and a trip-lever adapted to be acted upon by the key and engage with the bolt and the tumblers, as and for the purpose set forth.

(3. In a lock, the combination, with a casing, tumblers held to slide in said casing, provided with recesses in the upper edges at one end adapted to register, and also provided with recesses in their under edges, angle guide-plates held to slide in the lower recesses of the tumblers, springs bearing upon one edge of the tumblers, and toothed disks the teeth of which enter recesses in the guide-plates and tumblers, of a tie-plate covering the toothed disks, a spring attached to the said plate, a bolt held to slide in the casing upon the plate, and a trip-lever fulcrumed upon the plate and having a bearing upon the spring, one end of which trip-lever is adapted to be acted upon by the key and the opposite end for engagement with the bolt and tumblers, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a lock, the combination, with a. casing, tumblers held to slide in said casing, provided with recesses in the upper edges at one end adapted to register, and also provided with recesses in their under edges, angle guide-plates held to slide in the lower recesses of the tumblers, springs bearing upon one edge of the tumblers, and toothed disks the teeth of which enter recesses in the guide-plates and tumblers, of a tie-plate covering the toothed disks, a spring attached to the said plate, a bolt held to slide upon the tie-plate, provided with two spaced recesses near its head and a curved recess near its inner end, a trip-lever centrally fulcrunied upon the trip-plate and having a bearing against the spring, one end of which lever is curved upward over the inner recess of the bolt, the opposite end being provided with an upwardly-extending lip adapted to enter the forward recess of the bolt, and a horizontally-projecting stud capable of entering the upper recesses of the tumblers when said recesses are in registry, as and for the purpose specified.

BENJAMIN EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

F. W. HANAFORD, O. SEDGWIOK. 

